© Fritz Busiek
In JAN, Jan Hartwig reinterprets the DNA of German cuisine.
January 3, 2026
Marianne von Waldenfels
3-star chef Jan Hartwig in an interview: How he wrote a success story with his restaurant JAN in Munich and what truly defines world-class cuisine.
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He is considered one of the most influential and outstanding chefs of today. After positions with Christian Jürgens in the "Kastell" restaurant in Wernberg-Köblitz and with Klaus Erfort in Saarbrücken, Jan Hartwig moved to "Aqua" in Wolfsburg in 2007, where he initially became Chef de Partie and then Sous Chef under the direction of Sven Elverfeld.
From 2014 to 2021, the Lower Saxon worked as head chef at the "Atelier" restaurant in Munich's Hotel Bayerischer Hof. During this time, the restaurant received its second and soon afterwards its third star thanks to Hartwig's unique culinary signature.
In October 2022, Jan Hartwig fulfilled a long-cherished dream. He opened the "JAN", his first own restaurant, where his dishes reinterpret the DNA of German cuisine. The crowning achievement followed quickly: Within a few months, "JAN" was awarded three Michelin stars and shortly afterward also received the highest rating of five toques by Gault&Millau.
When you took over the "Atelier" restaurant at the "Bayerischer Hof" in Munich in May 2007, it already had a star. How big was the pressure to maintain it?
The pressure was bearable, I came as a sous-chef from a 3-star restaurant, it was my goal to defend the star. Of course, I didn't expect to earn three stars within three and a half years.
How do you personally deal with pressure?
It is part of my job. But I find it very important that this pressure is positive. I perceive stress as a stimulus, as a motivator. It pushes me and drives me to peak performance. If you perceive pressure as something oppressive, as a stone weighing on you, that's not good at all, and I don't think that can lead anyone, in any industry, to great success. Fear is not a good advisor.
I am now 42 years old and started my training in 2000. Times were different back then. The kitchen was much more hierarchical than it is today. And the pressure was also different from what I feel today as a 3-star chef.
How big is the leap from the second to the third star?
Big. Two stars are mega-good, three stars are world-class. You should actually read the official claim of the Michelin testers for this. Here the difference, or what makes three stars, is described in calm words: The restaurant is worth a trip – it is therefore worth getting on a plane in Beijing, London, Chicago, or even in Hamburg, or on a train to Munich to dine at my restaurant.
Strictly speaking, there are no star chefs, only star restaurants. We are ten 3-star chefs in Germany, and each has a distinctive signature. If you show me a dish, as a photo or on the plate, I will bet with you that I can say with 100% certainty which colleague cooked it. With two stars, I cannot determine that as precisely, unless the chef has very unique plates or a completely characteristic style of arranging them.
© Pieter D’Hoop
Served at Restaurant JAN: Breton sardine
How is the interaction with the other 3-star chefs – do you feel a certain competition there?
Not at all, I find our relationship to be more friendly. Although friendship is a big word. After all, you have only three, four true friends in life. We maintain a very respectful and collegial exchange, sharing employees and of course guests.
I don't like the word competition at all because to me it has something to do with envy. And I deeply reject envy. Competitors are important and good. How can you run a marathon alone? Or play football? You need teammates. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fun.
What are the key ingredients to achieving and maintaining your level?
Consistency, a unique handwriting, and hard work. Every day is important. Nothing was given to me, I don't have a large hotel or partners or sponsors in the background, and yet it works well. That makes me very proud.
How do you motivate yourself?
I want to be better every day than I was yesterday. That's my drive, and that’s certainly also the recipe for the speed of my success. I am a person who is restless and not only interested in my own development but also enjoys it.
I keep questioning myself, my team can sing a song about it. If I have had a dish on the menu for eight weeks, like pigeon breast for example, and everyone knows today is the penultimate day we will serve this dish because we’re changing it next week, it has still happened a few times that I say, we’re going to present it differently for the remaining days because I thought of something new.
Nothing in life is worse than the old saying: That's how we've always done it. I find it terrible when people are unable to reflect on themselves.
Do you let yourself be influenced by trends?
Following trends means being a weathervane. Nothing original comes from imitation. But I'm always interested in doing something better. Stagnation is regression. I was at ‘Aqua’ for seven years and was also significantly involved in recipe development and creative processes there.
When I left, many said: He must first free himself from Sven Elverfeld and find his own style. Then, in the “Atelier”, I deliberately chose products that were not or only rarely available during my time at “Aqua”, such as rabbit or quail. From the beginning, I wanted to be Jan Hartwig and not a clone of another star chef.
With some star cuisine, you often get the impression that the appearance is the focus, with you ...
... taste comes first. Of course, I have a visual standard. The plate must look very, very beautiful, but no compromises are made when it comes to taste. The right temperature is also crucial. I really dislike it when dishes that should be hot are served lukewarm. I am very pedantic about that.
The team also plays a significant role in fine dining.
Of course. The kitchen is an authoritarian place, one must be quite honest about that. But mutual respect and a certain empathy are important to me. I also live by that. Because how can you go the extra mile and perform at your best for someone who just stands on the sidelines or issues commands in the kitchen and scolds everyone in a bad mood?
I am also usually the first to go home, after sending all the dishes and saying goodbye to the guests, because I need another one or two hours afterward to process the day, write recipes, develop new creations, and complete orders. I do this alone in silence when my wife and daughter are asleep and I have taken a long walk with my dog.
Your father is also a chef, you came into contact with gastronomy early, and once said that the books by Eckart Witzigmann were as important to you as the seven volumes of the Harry Potter series are to others.
In my youth, chefs like Eckart Witzigmann or Harald Wohlfahrt were guiding lights for me. They were pioneers, and I admired them, read all their books and every article about them. Even during my training, it was my greatest dream to work in a 3-star restaurant. Unfortunately, I never ate at Eckart Witzigmann's, but today we have a good relationship and an active exchange.
Does social media actually influence your work?
In the past, if you wanted to know how a chef worked, you had two options: You ate at their restaurant or bought their cookbook. Today, you can see everything on Instagram. That's a bit of a shame.
Which top restaurant have you reserved next?
At "Plénitude" in Paris, the 3-star restaurant of my colleague Arnaud Donckele, located in the "Cheval Blanc" hotel. It must be spectacular. I know no one who hasn't left the place completely thrilled. I have a reservation there next year, and I'm already very excited about it.
© Pieter D’Hoop
Jan Hartwig: "The plate must look very, very beautiful." Here: suckling pig, truffle, and Jerusalem artichoke
© Pieter D’Hoop
"Even during my training, it was my greatest dream to work in a 3-star restaurant," explains Jan Hartwig.
